Book rest or holder.



UNITED Saree ATENT OFFIcE.

AI B. SHAW, OF MEDFORD, MASSAOHUSETTS.

BOOK REST O R HOLDER.

SPEGIFIOA TION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 689,758, dated December 24, 1901. Application filed Jul 17,1899. Serial No. 724.190. (no model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, AI B. SHAW, of Med ford,

in the county of Middlesex and State of Massa- I its object to improve that class of rests which may be used in any chair, on a sofa or couch, or in the bed and without attaching the rest thereto or defacing the chair, sofa, couch, or bed; also, to produce a rest which may be packed in a small space when not in use or when being transported from one'place to another. p

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and combination of parts described hereinafter and set forth in the claims.

The invention is carried out substantially as illustrated on the accompanying drawings, forming an essential part of this specification, and whereon Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved rest in position to be used. Fig.

2 represents a side elevation of the rest folded" as when not in use and when ready to be stored or transported from one place to another. Fig. 3 represents a cross-section of the rest on the line A B in Fig. 2. Fig. 4: represents a cross-section of the rest on the line CD in Fig. 2.

Like characters of reference refer to like parts wherever they occur on the different parts of the drawings.

The invention is designed more especially to furnish a more convenient and otherwiseimproved rest or holder for a book or paper while it is being read, which will relieve the person from the weight of the book or paper and will allow the free use of'his hands or arms for other purposes than the holding of the book, if so desired, and will tendto keep the book or paper at auniform distance from the readers eyes, thus preventing unnecessary straining of the eyes.

The rest may be used in a chair, a sofa, a couch, a bed, or in many other places, and although it is designed more especially as a holder for a book or paper it may be used for a support for writing material or as a table without being attached to said articles.

to be used in the bed for an invalid and for many other purposes. 1

The base 1 is adapted to rest upon the seat of a chair, a sofa, couch, or other place where the person using the rest is seated or is lying This base is preferably made with a frame 2, of wire or other material which is strong and not bulky, and the covering 3, preferably of flexible material, such as cloth, leather, cane,

or similar material; butsa-id base may be made of wood or other similar material, ifso desired. This base is preferably made square, as shown, but it may be made in any other shape, if more convenient. To the edge of this base 1 and preferably at the corner thereof, as shown, is a standard, which for the purpose of being able to pack the rest in a small space and for means of adjusting the position of the rest is made as follows; but it may be made otherwise, if so desired. The frame 2 is provided at one corner thereof with the short upwardprojection 4, to which the tubular portion 5 is fulcrurned and adjusted, it

being held in its adjusted position by means of the thumb-screw 6 or equivalent device.

Within the upper end of the tubular portion 5 of the standard is inserted one end of a rod 7, which is bent at right angles and is free to turn within the portion 5 and is adjustable in and out within said portion, it being held in its adjusted position by means of the thu mbscrew 8 or equivalent device. On the free end of the rod 7 is mounted the rest or table proper, 9, which is preferably connected to the rod by means of a ball-and-socket joint, consisting of the-ball 10 on the end of the rod and the brackets 11 on the under side of the rest. These brackets are perforated to em brace the ball and are provided with the thumb-screw 12 or equivalent device,by which the ball is firmly clamped between said brackets in order to hold the table firmly when it has been properly adjusted in relation to'the support and to suit the convenience of the user.

It will be understood that by the combined actions of the ball-and-socket joint between rod within the tubular portion 5 of the standard, the adjustment of the rod in and out within the tubular portion 5, and the pivotal the table 9 and the rod 7, the turning of the connection of the tubular portion 5 to the base 1 I am able to adjust the table to any desired position in relation to the base to bring the book or paper held on the table to the most convenient position for the person using my device.

In using my improved holder in a chair the base portion thereof is placed upon the seat of the chair. The person then seats himself upon this base, which when provided with a flexible covering depresses with the chairseat and holds the standard or supporting portion of the holder as if rigidly secured to the chair and so that it will move with the chair either when the chair is tipped or rocked. The table 9 can then be adjusted to the most convenient position, as above described, and the person is free to read without the fatigue of holding the book in his hands, and at the same time his hands can be used for other purpose, if desired. If he is called from his seat for any purpose and desires to leave the book and holder so that he may return and use them, he simply loosens the thumb-screw 8 and rotates the rod 7 within the portion 5 of the standard until the holder and book are carried suificiently to one side to allow him to leave his seat. If the person desires to lie upon a sofa, couch, bed, or upon the ground and use the rest, he places the base portion 1 upon the sofa, couch, bed, or ground, preferably in such a position that the lower part of his body will rest upon said base portion, and he then adjusts the holder to the desired position in relation to said base in a manner similar to that described above. Substantially the same operation will be necessary if the rest is to be used in a bed to hold the meals for an invalid.

The frame 2 when used in making the base portion of the holder is made of material sufficiently thin that it does not interfere or inconvenience the person nsing the holder; but at the same time it is sufficiently stiff and rigid to make a rigid support.

When not in use, the holder may be folded substantially as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4 and will be very compact when stored or when ready for transportation.

This my improved holder is very simple, convenient, and strong, and it can be made very attractive in appearance by changing the material used for the covering 3 and by plating the metal portions thereof, or it can be made very cheaply, if so desired. It is not attached in any way to the article of furniture on which it is used. Thereforeit does not deface the furniture and is free to be used in connection with any desired and various pieces of furniture at will. Thus it will be seen that I am able to produce a convenient, strong, and portable book-rest which is used in any desired place and in connection withany desired piece of furniture without being in any way attached thereto, which rest, in addition to a vertical adjustment with the supporting-standard and a pivotal connection to said standard, whereby it may be rotated upon its pivotal connection and raised or lowered, as desired, will have the upper part of the standard bent at an angle to the lower part of the standard and capable of being turned within the lower part of the standard, so as to be able to adjust the rest toward or from the reader or to swing the rest bodily to one side and out of the way of the person using the rest, whereby he may rise from being seated upon the base portion of the rest or may seat himself thereon without coming into contact with the rest. It will also be seen that my rest or holder may be folded into a very compact space when not in use.

Having thus fully described the nature,construction, and operation of my invention, I wish to secure by Letters Patent and claim- 1. In a book rest or holder, a base portion to rest upon a chair, sofa, couch or bed, upon which base portion the person using the rest seats himself or reclines, consisting of aframe with a flexible covering, a standard projecting from said base portion and a table secured to said standard, whereby said base portion conforms to the depressions in the seat of the chair or other article and holds the rest rigidly upon the same, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a book rest or holder, a base portion to rest upon a chair, sofa, or bed upon which base portion the person using the rest seats himself or reclines, consisting of a frame around said base portionand a flexible covering secured to said frame and filling the space between the sides of the frame, a standard pivotally attached to said frame, and a table adjustably secured within said standard, for the purpose set forth.

3. In a book rest or holder, a base portion to rest upon a chair, sofa, or bed upon which base portion the person using the rest seats himselfor reclines, consisting ofa metal frame around said base portion and a flexible covering secured to the frame and filling the space between the sides of the frame, a standard secured to the metal frame, and a table rotatablyadjustable within said standard, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have aifixed m y signature in presence of two witnesses.

AI B. SIIAW.

Witnesses:

HENRY CHADBOURN, WILLIAM SHAW.

IIO 

